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Single Idea 1469

[filed under theme 29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 1. Religious Commitment / d. Religious Falsification ]

Full Idea

Falsification and verification are not logically equivalent. For example, you might verify the claim that there will be three consecutive sevens in the infinite expansion of PI, but you could never falsify such a claim.

Gist of Idea

Some things (e.g. a section of the expansion of PI) can be verified but not falsified

Source

report of John Hick (Theology and Verification [1960], §II) by PG - Db (ideas)

Book Ref

'The Existence of God', ed/tr. Hick,John [Macmillan 1964], p.258

The 3 ideas with the same theme [whether any evidence could falsify a religious claim]:

1465 You can't claim a patch of land is tended by a 'gardener' if there is no evidence, and all counter-evidence is rejected [Flew, by PG]
1467 Religious people seem unwilling to accept any evidence that God does not love us, so their claim is unfalsifiable [Flew, by PG]
1469 Some things (e.g. a section of the expansion of PI) can be verified but not falsified [Hick, by PG]